Nice push of migrants

Common Loon raft, Winsor Dam at Quabbin Park, May 4, 2012

Common Loons, Winsor Dam at Quabbin Park, May 4, 2012

Common Loon raft, Winsor Dam at Quabbin Park, May 4, 2012

Common Loon raft, Winsor Dam at Quabbin Park, May 4, 2012

Common Mergansers, Winsor Dam at Quabbin Park, May 4, 2012

Another dreary start to a day in May but the birds were back in spectacular fashion.  Many highlights from the day including at least 26 Common Loons, 19 species of warbler, ten first of year birds including Green Heron, Least Flycatcher, Blue-winged Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Chestnut sided Warbler, American Redstart, Prairie Warbler, Solitary Sandpiper, Indigo Bunting and Ruby-throated Hummingbird.  I forgot my good camera at home and the birding was too good to run home to get it so all the photos were taken with the trusty iPhone.  A total of 101 species today without visiting too many different areas.  I have included my total list from Quabbin Park and selected highlights from Covey WMA, Pelham and Belchertown.

Today also marked a milestone as I attempt to see 200 species in the county this year as I passed the 150 mark.  My total as of today stands at 158.

Here is a radar map from early last evening showing the birds moving north.

Quabbin Park

Canada Goose 5
Wood Duck 2
Common Merganser 6
Wild Turkey 14
Common Loon 26 grounded by weather, largest group of 18 together
Great Blue Heron 3
Turkey Vulture 1
Bald Eagle 1
Sharp-shinned Hawk 1
Cooper's Hawk 2 at nest
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Spotted Sandpiper 1
Ring-billed Gull 4
Mourning Dove 7
Belted Kingfisher 1
Red-bellied Woodpecker 1
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 4
Downy Woodpecker 3
Hairy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 5
Pileated Woodpecker 3
Least Flycatcher 1
Eastern Phoebe 7
Great Crested Flycatcher 1
Yellow-throated Vireo 2
Blue-headed Vireo 6
Warbling Vireo 2
Blue Jay 4
American Crow 11
Common Raven 2
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1
Tree Swallow 182 most feeding low over reservoir
Bank Swallow 3
Barn Swallow 18
Black-capped Chickadee 7
Tufted Titmouse 9
White-breasted Nuthatch 2
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 5
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 4
Eastern Bluebird 2
Wood Thrush 1
American Robin 23
Gray Catbird 8
Brown Thrasher 1
Ovenbird 28
Louisiana Waterthrush 1
Blue-winged Warbler 2
Black-and-white Warbler 19
Nashville Warbler 2
Common Yellowthroat 3
American Redstart 2
Northern Parula 2
Magnolia Warbler 1
Blackburnian Warbler 6
Yellow Warbler 2
Chestnut-sided Warbler 5
Black-throated Blue Warbler 4
Palm Warbler (Yellow) 2
Pine Warbler 15
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 66
Prairie Warbler 1
Black-throated Green Warbler 16
Eastern Towhee 31
Chipping Sparrow 67
Field Sparrow 1
Song Sparrow 2
Swamp Sparrow 1
White-throated Sparrow 8
White-crowned Sparrow 1 singing
Scarlet Tanager 1
Northern Cardinal 2
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 1
Indigo Bunting 1
Bobolink 1 unusual here
Red-winged Blackbird 19
Common Grackle 15
Brown-headed Cowbird 7
Baltimore Oriole 3
American Goldfinch 9



Covey WMA

Wood Duck 4
Ring-necked Duck 1 male in small pond
Hooded Merganser 2
Great Blue Heron 9
Green Heron 3
Greater Yellowlegs 1
Barred Owl 1
Least Flycatcher 1
Eastern Kingbird 1
Warbling Vireo 2
Winter Wren 1
Hermit Thrush 1
Wood Thrush 3
Ovenbird 3
Nashville Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
Yellow Warbler 3
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 7
Black-throated Green Warbler 2
Field Sparrow 1
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 2
Baltimore Oriole 5



Packardville Road marsh Pelham

Hermit Thrush 1
Northern Waterthrush 1
Black-and-white Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
Northern Parula 1
Black-throated Green Warbler 4


Belchertown Land Trust Trail

Common Merganser 2
Solitary Sandpiper 2
Eastern Kingbird 2
Warbling Vireo 1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2
Gray Catbird 2
Brown Thrasher 2
Ovenbird 3
Black-and-white Warbler 2
Common Yellowthroat 1
Chestnut-sided Warbler 1
Pine Warbler 5
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) 6
Field Sparrow 3
Scarlet Tanager 1
Baltimore Oriole 2